Diem

Abstract

CONTEXT With the rise of smart connected products the user will have more and more products to monitor and control directly (and remotely). Although these products bring us new benefits, these products also have downsides. Connected products are significantly more complex. Not only installing a connected product requires more steps, but also the daily use differs because these products are able to notify its users any time and thereby demand attention. Connected products require the user to invest the time and energy in understanding them. Because of these flaws, we need smart connected products that we can use in intuitive ways, so that the benefits can be experienced without having to understand a lot of complex information. A solution is to allow smart connected products to act autonomously. An artificial intelligence changes the interaction with a smart connected product from ‘using it’ to ‘collaborating with it’. For interaction designers, the question then is how to shift the emphasis from designing ‘products’ to designing ‘intelligent collaborations between humans and non-humans’. In his current research at the Connected Everyday Lab Marco Rozendaal calls this new type of products that can sense, respond to and cooperate in human activity in an autonomous manner ‘Objects with Intent’. To design Objects with Intent, designers must learn how to position objects in human activity as collaborative partners; how to design for shared control between people and objects; and how to design the expressiveness of objects that are mundane, and yet intelligent as they can reason and act autonomously. PROJECT GOAL The aim of this project was to investigate Objects with Intent and formulate guidelines for designing them. This was done by designing an Object with Intent that users can learn to trust to operate and manage smart technology in their homes. This object should decentralise the user in the network of the Internet of Things. The object should prevent the user from being overwhelmed with unnecessary information, but more importantly, it should relieve the user from certain tasks without giving the user the feeling that he/she is losing control. A promising strategy for creating a perception of life, intention and personality is Van Allen’s Animism. During the project I applied this strategy to every activity, so not only to the design of the Object with Intent, but also when analysing the current connected products. “When you look at any lifeless product as a character you see it does have a personality.” CONCEPT: DIEM Diem is a smart lighting controller that helps the user fall asleep in order to have a good night’s rest. Thereby Diem creates a healthy balance between day and night. Diem knows when you need to go to bed and automatically adjusts lighting conditions by dimming the light gradually. The user can adjust the light setting as well. However, this is not without consequences. The prototype has a clear mind on what the best setting is. It will ‘protest’ if the user raises the light setting above the maximum allowed setting for that time and it will make sure that the proper light setting is maintained, and will become stricter, the later it gets. OUTCOME Aspects of the Object with Intent the designer should focus on, avoid and keep in mind. Focus The Object with Intent should have a clear purpose. The Object with Intent should show clarity in behaviour. There should be a common ground for the user and the Object with Intent to meet in order to communicate. Avoid Avoid letting the Object with Intent be too bossy -> In the end, who calls out the shots? Don’t go too high-tech. Keep in mind When using Animism as a design-strategy, define the character of the Object with Intent. The right amount of complexity of the artificial intelligence gives it character. The Object with Intent will confront the user and will therefore evoke strong reactions from the user.